(Image by Rosa García)
There’s people out there who like to think the pandemic is a distant memory, or that it didn’t have an effect on them. They’ve tried to go back to “exactly the way things were.”
Except things have changed.
The thing that that the past years have taught me is the importance of connection. Connection in every sense: with family, friends, colleagues, my own space, and my own garden. I find the pandemic changed the way I connect with people, and how MUCH “interaction” I need.
I definitely don’t enjoy a lot of noise anymore.
From what I’ve heard, working from home was a fairly brutal lesson for some. Some people loved it and thrived. Some hated every second. They couldn’t wait to go back to the structure and social nature of working in an office.
I think that overall, the lesson is that isolation is hard. And we are not built for it.
Whether you’re a super gregarious person (hi Mom) or an absolute introvert (hello husband), at some point we all need connection with others. It doesn’t have to be a big deal. A simple “good morning” to your neighbour as you get the mail will do. A text to a colleague to wish them a happy Monday.
My “pandemic lesson” is that connecting with the people in my life is the most important thing to me.
Of course now that we’re in “real winter” in Ottawa it’s harder. I’m not a huge fan of outdoor winter activities, so that means I’m indoors a lot. It’s easy to get into a daily grind (once again) of getting up, working, making dinner, going to bed, then doing it all over again. But I realize I have to change that. I can’t be home forever. My mental health demands I see friends.
So I’m making little efforts to get out and socialize. Here’s some:
- After a decade, P. and I reconnected late last year. We had coffee again this Wednesday.
- At an online networking event I met C., whom I’m looking forward to getting to know better.
- I had dinner with 3 girlfriends last night (that's the picture above)
The last 5 weeks or so in Ottawa have been a dark, grey time, with precious little sunshine. I know my spirits aren’t the only ones that are low. That’s why we need to reach out. Friends bring such an important dimension to our lives; we need laughter, we need conversation. We need support and we need to give support.
If you haven’t seen your best friend in a long while, reach out. Let her/him know you’re thinking of them. They’re probably missing you too.
You can call; you can text; you can even get old-times and write a letter. You can video chat. And if you’re so inclined, you can even get some of my cards and mail them :-)
But no matter HOW you reach out and connect, it’s important to do it. For your emotional health and theirs. And when you do, trust me, you’ll reminisce about the old days and laugh!